


Feed the Soul

by ByTheAngell (SomeLittleInfamy)



Series: Tumblr Prompts [9]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-06-06 07:56:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15190298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeLittleInfamy/pseuds/ByTheAngell
Summary: When Magnus' stress threatens to boil over, Alec has just the thing in mind for a relaxing day out.





	Feed the Soul

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr Prompt: “I can’t get the idea of malec taking Sunday afternoon/evening walks to various parks in New York and feeding birds like an old married couple out of my head”

This isn't the first outburst Magnus has, and Alec's certain it won't be the last. That doesn't make the frustration on Magnus' face any easier to bear. He came home early that Sunday to find him cleaning shattered glass off of the floor and the sheepish look before he averted his gaze entirely told Alec that he planned on having this all cleared away before Alec was meant to be back. 

Alec didn't say anything, only walking over to help pick up the larger pieces while Magnus swept the smaller shards into a dustpan in silence. 

"Come on," Alec said suddenly once the mess was cleared, grabbing the jacket off of the rack by the door and tossing it to his boyfriend without warning. Magnus barely caught it before it hit him square in the face.  

"What?" 

"Let's go. You need to get out of this apartment- we both do." Alec knows he’s just as guilty by staying in, humoring Magnus during these moods and allowing him too much time to wallow in an attempt to let him process on his own. But he can't sit back and watch Magnus break down over a vase because keeping plants alive without magic was more difficult than it seemed, and ‘who needed a vase if every flower you put in it just died in a few days anyway’? 

Magnus eyes him warily. "Where? We've already gone everywhere decent within a 10 block radius, and it's not like we can just por-" 

"No, stop right there. Absolutely none of that." Alec cuts him off, shaking his head emphatically. He’s already in the doorway. "Are you coming or not? I'll go alone if I have to." 

Magnus rolls his eyes but allows the hint of a smile to tease at the corners of his lips at Alec's ability to rival his own stubbornness sometimes. Perhaps too much of himself was rubbing off on the Shadowhunter. "Fine. But are you going to tell me where we're going?" 

"You'll see when we get there. We just need to make a stop first." 

They stop at a small market and Alec grabs a bag of rice and some grapes. The combination makes Magnus quirk an eyebrow but at this point he  doesn't question it, because every time he does he gets the same answer - he'll see. Magnus has to wonder what great secret plan Alec has up his sleeve to suddenly become so cryptic. 

They continue their walk through the streets for several blocks until they reach Cadman Plaza Park.  The parks in the city almost always give Magnus visual whiplash. There is something about the stark contrast between the tall rows of brick and metal surrounding the vibrant, lush greens of the impeccably taken care of greenery of the parks that always leaves him feeling like he left the city entirely and entered another world. 

Alec leads him down a path, past children playing soccer in the grass and students reading books in the sunlight and people walking dogs keen to sniff and explore. They  finally come to rest at a bench set slightly off the more populated paths. He begins to pull out the grapes and rice and walnuts and, again, Magnus raises an eyebrow. This time he says something. 

"I know you aren't the best cook, but if a picnic was your goal I'm not sure a bag of uncooked rice was the best call." 

Alec laughs, and the noise is so sudden and genuine that it catches him off-guard and Magnus can't help but laugh in return. 

"This isn't for us," Alec says, grabbing a handful of rice and tossing it in front of them, scattering the food across several feet of space. They don't have to wait long before the birds start to come, eager to beat the others to the food on the ground before it’s gone. Alec holds the bag over to Magnus without a word, waiting expectantly. 

Magnus mimics Alec’s action, watching as more birds come, and those that stay eat more leisurely knowing there is more rice to go around. Two of the children who were playing soccer come over and ask if they can feed the birds to, which Alec gladly allows after a glance of confirmation from their mother who is hovering off to the side. The kids give a squeal of delight as they throw the rice dramatically into the air around them, giggling as the birds flock towards them. And when a few of the more adventurous birds come closer to them on the bench Alec takes out the grapes, tearing them in half with his fingers before holding them out in his palm for tiny beaks to pluck up and fly away with. 

“I can’t believe I never knew you feed birds in the park.” Magnus says, staring no longer at the feathered creatures but at Alec, eyes wider than usual in wonder over this revelation -  because it’s suddenly very obvious this is something Alec’s done at least a few times before. 

Alec gives a sheepish smile and shrugs. “Whenever I’m too stressed, or just need to think, I like to go for walks to clear my head. I’d see mundanes feeding the birds so often and they always looked so… I don’t know, content, I guess?” He tosses another pinch of rice away from them. He looks  over at Magnus optimistically, hoping he wouldn’t think it’s dumb, or a waste of time, or hate it entirely. “It’s kinda nice, isn’t it?” There’s a moment of hesitation before Magnus answers where Alec is very aware he’s putting himself into a position to be vulnerable. 

“It is,” Magnus agrees, unable to tear his soft gaze away from Alec.  “Will you ever stop being so full of surprises?” 

“I certainly hope not,” Alec admits, a small smirk tugging at his lips. 

And Alec is right - content is the perfect word to describe how he feels sitting on that bench with Alec, feeding the birds and watching the world pass by around them for a little while. Satisfied to simply  _ be _ for a little while with no plans or expectations. 

When they go back to the Loft there’s no mention of the vase, just a quiet night of cuddling on the sofa and soft kisses between scenes of a movie on tv that neither of them are really watching. 

The following Sunday, feeling the built up tensions of the past week’s meetings and missions ending with a particularly infuriating conversation with Lorenzo Rey, Alec calls Magnus and asks if he wants to go to the park again. He leaves work early and they pick a different park this time, but the afternoon unfolds the same - a nice walk, ending up on a bench with tossed rice and eager wildlife and smiling, so much smiling. Magnus laughs easier here than he does at home surrounded by constant reminders of what he’s missing, and it’s bittersweet to hear but better than nothing.  The third week Magnus is already waiting for the early call, and the week after that it’s simply become their new routine for Alec to leave the Institute Sundays by 1 and for Magnus to text him the name of the park they were going to this time. They have a stash of proper birdseed they bring in baggies, and for a little while nothing exists outside their personal bubble of green grass and chirping birds. 

Magnus doesn’t notice the exact moment he stops yearning for a world no longer at his fingertips, or when he realizes everything he could possibly want is right here beside him. He’s simply grateful for the ease with which these truths encompass his life now, and for the man who makes them all possible. 

**Author's Note:**

> Maybe one day I won't be the actual worst at ending drabbles? For some reason I'm physically incapable of writing conclusions. But besides that I hope you enjoyed, and as always you can find me on [Tumblr](http://bytheangell.tumblr.com) where I'm almost always accepting prompts of any kind! <3


End file.
